Woman attacked man with bottle
8:48am Friday 25th January 2013 in News
A DRUNK woman launched a terrifying and unprovoked bottle attack on a man outside a town centre nightclub.
Lianah Ainsworth has left her victim, Darren Fletcher, scarred for life after she hit him with an alcopop bottle outside Bamboogie in Bradshawgate at 2am on Friday, September 7 last year.
Mr Fletcher, who had never met his attacker, suffered a 2cm cut and had vision problems for four days after the assault.
Ainsworth, of Cranleigh Close, Blackrod, told police she had no recollection of striking Mr Fletcher but admitted causing him actual bodily harm.
Prosecutor Alexandra Simmonds said Mr Fletcher had gone outside of the club with friends for a cigarette, he spoke to 23-year-old Ainsworth for a few moments then turned away to talk to friends.
He then felt a “large painful smack to his face then felt great pain and bleeding under his left eye”.
Ainsworth started screaming and shouting but the group of friends saw no reason for the attack.
Yesterday Bolton Crown Court heard Ainsworth had split up with her boyfriend, had not eaten much and had drunk “more than she could handle”.
Andrew Costello, defending, said Ainsworth, who cried and was shaking throughout the hearing, was visibly distraught by her actions and the whole experience of being arrested had weighted heavily on her.
She was said to be out of work and is in £4,000 debt.
Ainsworth was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
She was ordered to complete a course for women and comply with a three-month curfew, where she must remain at home between 8pm and 6am. She was also ordered to pay Mr Fletcher £500 compensation and a £100 surcharge.
Judge Timothy Clayson, sentencing, said: “The crime is made more serious because you used a bottle, along with the timing and the unprovoked nature of it. You have many issues you need to overcome. This was out of character for you. I don’t think you will do anything like this again.”
